Abuja — The embattled workers of the Nigeria Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) have rejected the downsizing being proposed by the management of the company as a way of reducing cost and ensure prompt payment of workers' salaries.

In view of this, the workers are planning a showdown with the management of NITEL, today should it proceed with the implementation of the plan without offsetting the salary arrears owed the workers.

One of the national dailies on Monday reported that the management of NITEL has concluded plans to sack 1500 workers, a decision, the workers described as a way of punishing them for demanding their salaries and other allowances.

But a management staff of the embattled telecommunication company who spoke to LEADERSHIP on the condition of anonymity said there is no going back on the planned sack whether the workers like it or not.

According to the source, the reason for the downsizing is to reduce the overhead cost of the company. The source said that with the dwindling fortune of the company, it cannot continue to keep such a huge workforce.

According to the source, management of NITEL considers it very important to reduce the workforce to a manageable size which it can pay.

Asked to comment on the allegation that the planned downsize is targeted at the junior workers who are mainly cleaners, messengers, drivers and security officials, the source said: 'I am not aware of that. What I can tell you is that the management of NITEL has planned to downsize it workforce'.

The workers embarked on strike in January this year to protest non-payment of their five months salary arrears but only called off the strike after a meeting with the NITEL management and the Federal Government on how to offset the backing salary.

But NITEL management said it must cut down the workforce for it to pay the workers' salaries promptly.Speaking on the planned downsizing, the National Chairman of National Association of Telecommunications Employee (NATE), Mr. Charles Amankwe said his members would not accept that.

He said that before the management of NITEL can sack any worker, it must clear all the salary arrears owed the workers. He said anything short would not be acceptable to the workers who have already planned a protest (today) to stop the implementation of the decision.